Brown Takes 200 Breast Title as Canadian World Champs Trials Gain Steam

MONTREAL, May 13. GRADUALLY, the Canadian World Championship Trials are improving. For proof, we offer the third day of action, easily the best of the competition. The Trials, which are determining berths to this summer’s World Champs in Montreal, will conclude with full programs Friday and Saturday.

Already the victor in the 100 breaststroke from the opening night of competition, Mike Brown blasted the field in the 200 breast Thursday night, clocking 2:12.37. Although the time was slower than Brown’s preliminary effort of 2:11.97, his swim in the final supplied a four-plus second victory over Scott Dickens (2:16.48). For Dickens, his second-place showing was his third of the meet.

Repeating their finish from the 200 freestyle, Brent Hayden and Rick Say went one-two in the 100 free. Hayden touched the wall in 49.63, slightly quicker than the 49.67 of Say. Yannick Lupien also cracked the 50-second barrier, as he claimed third place in 49.89.

For the women, Audrey Lacroix and Sophie Simard produced the finest swims. Lacroix added the 200 butterfly title to her earlier win in the 100 fly when she sped 2:10.99 in the four-lap event. Mackenzie Downing was second in the 200 fly, going 2:15.93. As for Simard, she won the 200 freestyle in 1:59.97, not far off the Canadian record of 1:59.85, set in 2000 by Marianne Limpert. Brittany Reimer, already with wins in the 400 and 1,500 freestyles, was second in 2:00.84.

Jennifer Carroll earned a trip to the World Championships in the 50 backstroke, as she prevailed in 29.17 and held off a challenge by Erin Gammel (29.36), the winner of the 100 back. Other triumphs were notched by Keith Beavers in the men’s 200 individual medley (2:02.23) and Andrew Hurd in the 800 freestyle (8:05.55).